Jazz & Baccalà
The international jazz festival at Teatro Summarte, featuring live concerts and salt cod tastings.
About Jazz & Baccalà
A jazz festival at the foot of Mount Vesuvius
Jazz & Baccalà is the international jazz festival hosted by the Teatro Summarte in Somma Vesuviana, in the province of Naples, in the heart of the Vesuvius region of Campania. Originally conceived as a local theater's musical program, it has grown over the years to become one of the most recognizable jazz events north of Vesuvius, bringing prominent names from the Italian and international scene to a town of just over thirty thousand inhabitants.
The formula remains unchanged: a few evenings spread throughout the season, a carefully curated lineup, and an intimate hall where the audience is up close to the musicians. It is a style of jazz that goes beyond the classic repertoire, opening up to soul, Neapolitan singer-songwriter traditions, and Mediterranean influences, following an artistic vision that showcases both foreign soloists and the best of the local Campanian scene.
The music & food format: when jazz meets salt cod
The festival's uniqueness lies in its name. Each evening is designed as a music & food format: those who wish to participate arrive early and take their seats at the tables in the stalls for a tasting, featuring a main course based on baccalà (salt cod), considered the cornerstone of Vesuvius cuisine. Once dinner is finished, the lights dim and the concert begins in the same hall, without the need to change seats.
For those who prefer just the music, the standard theater seating option is available, with entry at the start of the live performance. This solution has fostered a loyal audience and a truly unique atmosphere, halfway between a theater and a jazz club, where attentive listening blends with the conviviality of the table.
Teatro Summarte, the festival's home
All evenings take place at the Teatro Summarte, located at Via Roma 15, in the center of Somma Vesuviana. The venue is the town's primary cultural hub, hosting plays, comedy shows, music, and school programs throughout the year. For Jazz & Baccalà, the seating is reconfigured with tables in the front section to accommodate both those dining and those attending only the concert.
What to expect from an evening
- National and international concerts, featuring guest soloists and ensembles in trio, quartet, and quintet formats.
- Salt cod tastings prepared by local chefs, served at the tables before the live show.
- Intimate venue with club-like acoustics and minimal distance between the stage and the audience.
- Mandatory reservation for the dinner option, with limited seating.
- Evenings scheduled on weekends, almost always on Friday or Saturday nights.
Somma Vesuviana and the tradition of salt cod
The choice of salt cod is no coincidence. In the Neapolitan and Vesuvius gastronomic tradition, salt-cured cod has been a popular staple for centuries, a star of holiday tables and religious feasts, prepared in countless ways: stewed with olives and capers, fried in batter, in salads, or as a pasta sauce. Somma Vesuviana, an agricultural town on the northern slopes of Mount Vesuvius and part of the National Park, preserves this culinary culture alongside its tradition of wine and Vesuvius garden produce.
Combining this heritage with African-American music is the festival's successful gamble: a cultural endeavor that shares the territory with an audience arriving from Naples, the Vesuvius towns, and the Nolano area, often discovering the town precisely because of a concert night.
When it takes place
The festival is not concentrated over a few days but spread throughout the theater season: the twelfth edition, for instance, started in autumn and concluded in spring, with events from November to April. Previous editions were held between spring and early summer. It is therefore advisable to check the calendar published by the theater, which releases the full program on its website and the festival's social media channels.
Jazz & Baccalà — edition 2026
The 12th edition of Jazz & Baccalà
For the first time, the Teatro Summarte festival in Somma Vesuviana embraced the entire theater season, from autumn to spring, rather than focusing on the spring months as in previous editions. Eight events, almost all on Friday or Saturday nights, followed the music & food formula now well-recognized by the Vesuvius area audience.
The program featured diverse styles: Chicago-based vocalist Paul Mariano at the opening, the Forcella project by Marco Zurzolo, the trio of American pianist Joel Holmes with Ileana Mottola, the return of Tony Esposito with his quartet, the encounter between the saxophones of Max Ionata and Rosario Giuliani, the quintet of double bassist Giuseppe Venezia with the trumpet of Fabrizio Bosso, the tribute to Pino Daniele by Elisabetta Serio, and finally, the soul jazz of Ronald Baker with the Tony Match Trio.
As always, those who chose the full package dined in the stalls before the live show, with a salt cod-based first course prepared by local chefs, while those who only wanted the music could purchase a seat in the theater chairs.
Programme Jazz & Baccalà 2026
12th Edition Calendar
- Saturday, November 1, 2025 – Paul Mariano, Chicago-based vocalist: opening night.
- Friday, November 14, 2025 – Marco Zurzolo with the Forcella project.
- Friday, November 28, 2025 – Joel Holmes Trio feat. Ileana Mottola, featuring tracks from the album Cool Life.
- Friday, January 16, 2026 – Tony Esposito 4et, icon of Napule's Power.
- Saturday, February 7, 2026 – Max Ionata & Rosario Giuliani.
- Saturday, March 14, 2026 – Giuseppe Venezia 5et feat. Fabrizio Bosso, presenting the album I've Been Waiting For You; featuring Attilio Troiano, Bruno Montrone, and Elio Coppola. Dinner at 9:00 PM, live at 10:15 PM.
- Friday, March 27, 2026 – Elisabetta Serio 4et with ANIMA – Tribute to Pino Daniele, special guest Sté.
- Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Ronald Baker with the Tony Match Trio: soul jazz closing night.
All concerts took place at Teatro Summarte, Via Roma 15, Somma Vesuviana (NA). Each evening included a tasting with a salt cod-based first course before the music began.
Highlights Jazz & Baccalà 2026
- Giuseppe Venezia 5et feat. Fabrizio Bosso (March 14, 2026): the most anticipated night of the edition, presenting the album I've Been Waiting For You with tracks like Messaggeri, met with enthusiastic applause and encore requests.
- ANIMA – Tribute to Pino Daniele by Elisabetta Serio 4et (March 27, 2026), a jazz reinterpretation of the Neapolitan songwriter's repertoire.
- Tony Esposito 4et (January 16, 2026), a historical figure of Napule's Power.
- The double sax of Max Ionata and Rosario Giuliani (February 7, 2026).
- Ronald Baker & Tony Match Trio (April 18, 2026), the festival's soul jazz finale.
Prices Jazz & Baccalà 2026
Practical information — Jazz & Baccalà
How to get there
Teatro Summarte is located at Via Roma 15, in the center of Somma Vesuviana (NA), about twenty kilometers from Naples, on the northern side of Mount Vesuvius. By car, it is easily reached via the SS268 highway and the Campanian motorway network. Connections with Naples are mainly by road and car: it is advisable to check bus schedules before leaving, especially for the return trip after the concert. Parking is available in the streets surrounding the center.
Tickets and reservations
Reservation is mandatory for the dinner option, which has limited seating at the stalls tables. Tickets are sold online via the Etes platform and directly at the theater box office. Any food intolerances or dietary requirements must be communicated at least two days before the evening.
Contacts
Teatro Summarte, Via Roma 15 – 80049 Somma Vesuviana (NA). Phone +39 081 3629579, or 393 5667597 and 328 0612709. Email [email protected]. Updated program at summarte.it.
Tips
Those choosing the dinner option should arrive well in advance of the live performance, which usually starts shortly after 10:00 PM. For those arriving from outside the region, Somma Vesuviana is a great base for visiting the Vesuvius National Park and the nearby archaeological sites on the same day.
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Where does it take place — Jazz & Baccalà
Teatro Summarte
Via Roma 15, 80049 Somma Vesuviana